The Batman: Partners
by AJ Garcia
Summary: Dick is having a perfectly normal day when he is home all alone. His normal days are never very normal when compared with the average person. What is a boy to do when he is faced with an intruder and poisonous milk? Eat an Oreo. Someone will learn one of these days to never leave him alone. Partners are a good thing. One-shot. Set after Season 5 Episode 2 "Team Penguin".


**The Batman: Partners  
Set after Season 5 Episode 2 "Team Penguin"**

* * *

The doorbell had sounded a few minutes ago, but no one answered it. Dick knew the common practice of ignoring the front door, especially when Alfred was away. _Never open the door to a stranger, even though I know how to beat said stranger to a pulp. Whatever._ He went back to his comic book. In truth he should have been studying or sleeping, but it was Saturday! And after a late night of kicking bad guy butt, Dick felt justified in taking a moment for himself. His future and his body could just cool it for all he cared.  
He swallowed. His saliva had thickened to an uncomfortable state that kept him from focusing on the brightly colored pictures.

It was with a sigh that he rolled off his bed and left his room. The long trek to the kitchen gave him time to think. It was pointless thinking, as it pertained to thoughts of the future, of things he could not control. _What will there be after Robin? What will there be after Batman?_ The thought process was depressing at best and so he decided to stop.

He turned on the flatscreen in the kitchen right before he stopped in front of the fridge. The 350 pound behemoth opened its belly and Dick browsed the contents. With the gymnastic Olympics playing in the background, Dick tapped his thumb against the fridge door. He had spoken to Bruce about trying out for the Olympic team earlier that morning. The idea was shot to smithereens before he could even make his case. Bruce was fine with the idea, sure, if Dick agreed to give up being Robin.

 _As if.  
_  
A cool bottle was in his hand for only a moment before he turned and threw it. With the speed and accuracy in which he threw it, only a selected few in Gotham would be able to catch it.

She was one of the few.

The redhead glanced from the water bottle in her hand to him. "Take it easy, Tiger. It's only me."

Dick turned to get his own water bottle with a groan. "What are you doing here, Barbara? Bruce isn't expecting you until training time tonight."

"I was in the neighborhood and thought I would drop by. Thanks for not opening the door, by the way." She dropped her backpack on the kitchen island. She made herself at home on a barstool and drank her recently caught water.

"You are so not welcome," he smirked while turning to the cabinets. He would avoid the real reason why he wouldn't open the front door to strangers... It was better for humanity that way. _Some days it's better to sound lazy than like a trained dog... Even if the dog is perfect in almost every way._

Barbara capped her water before wiping the condensation onto her jeans. "Where is that butler Alfred? Isn't he suppose to answer the door?"

"Yeah, but he's out."

"Oh."

"I could have killed you, you know." He placed a container of Oreos on the table, "Think twice before breaking and entering."

"Yeah, yeah… You got any milk?"

He pointed over his shoulder to the refrigerator right before he opened the cookie container. "If you want some of that disgusting stuff, you'll have to get it yourself."

"It's not disgusting. Where are the glasses?" She began digging through the cabinets when Dick just shrugged. He hadn't lived there all that long. Alfred was normally the one who did that kind of stuff. Dick was doing good to find the cookies.

"Oh, look! Nadia Comaneci replays. She's the reason I took up gymnastics, you know. She was totally my role model." Barbara eyed the television. Dick watched her watch the television.

"Was?"

She poured herself some of the creamy poison from hell and took a seat across from him. "We both know the reason why that has changed. With you living with him and all."

"That explains so much." Dick twirled his Oreo on the marble top.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She opened an Oreo and licked the white inside.

Dick's brow becomes scrunched at the sight before him. "Just that you're superhero name is lame. I mean, you could have thought about that one a little longer."

"Hey, it was perfect in the end! Both my name and my super name start with B. That's pretty creative. What does Robin stand for, anyway?" She continued licking the cookie. Dick's lips pressed as he thought of the funeral that wasn't even half a year behind them. The funeral that Bruce had paid for.

 _She doesn't deserve to know._

"What are you doing here?"

She paused and her eyes glanced his way. "I already told you..."

He wasn't impressed and his eyes conveyed as much.

"Fine," she sighed, "I was thinking about our fight last night. You know how we teamed up to take down Killer Moth? It was the coolest thing I have ever done... Ever. We really do make a good team, but in the end we hid our camaraderie from Batman-"

"Bruce," Dick couldn't help but correct. It was always Bruce in the house. One of his first rules.

"-That's going to take some getting used to. Anyway, what I want to know is why we are hiding our friendship."

 _Friendship?_ Dick caught his spinning cookie. "You consider me a friend?"

She forced out a nervous laugh. "Well, yeah. What else would we call it? We aren't enemies anymore and we will be seeing a lot of each other, so acquaintances won't work. If we are going work together we will have no choice but to be friends. So, what do you say?"

She put down one half of her cookie and held out a hand. "Partners?"

Dick already knew his answer. He took her hand and gave it a firm shake. The warmth he received from her palm comforted him. "Partners."

He immediately made a face while he tilted his head, fishing for a reason to hold her hand for a little longer. "Wait. Does this mean I have to be nice to you now?"

She squeezed his hand once more before tugging it back. She smiled at him. "Nah."

"Good," he quickly dunked his Oreo in her glass of milk, "Because how you eat your Oreos is completely wrong." He ate his Oreo in one bite and dashed out of the room.

"Dick Grayson! Get back here! Have an Oreo battle with me! I swear I will beat you! Dick!" She chased after the Boy Wonder, oblivious to the camera in the far corner of the kitchen.

* * *

Somewhere on the other side of Gotham was Bruce Wayne. He sat behind a large desk and watched a screen that displayed his kitchen. He had been notified by an alarm when Barbara Gordon had forced a window open on the second floor.  
He grinned in the safety of his office and picked up his phone. Alfred answered by the second ring.

"Alfred, Dick has a guest right now. Please make sure they eat a decent lunch."

"On my way, Sir."

Bruce hung up and leaned back in his chair.

Barbara was following Dick around the house, trying to get the boy to drink her milk. Bruce watched them act like the teenagers they were. He wanted this. He encouraged this. He realized on their last mission that Barbara was what Dick needed.  
Once school started up, he would have trouble relating. He had been raised in a circus and making relations from his peers wasn't bound to be easy, especially with his double life.

 _They can relate to each other.  
_  
 _They can be honest._

Bruce pressed a key on his keyboard and the multiple camera shots of his house closed. He reflected on the past and stood up. Richard was growing up as fast as the sun rose in the morning. Sometimes faster and, no matter how much Bruce pleaded with God, Dick wouldn't stop.

Mr. Wayne faced the wall of windows, looking over his city.

Their teamwork last night was proof they were good for each other.

 _Am I doing the right thing?_ It was too late to question such things, but becoming a parent was leaving him with little choice as of late. He would do anything for his kids, his sidekicks, his partners.

 _This is good and I'll leave it at that._

* * *

 **Author's Note: For my first one-shot, I think it came out alright. The ending left something to be desired, but it adds more to the Robin/Batgirl dynamic. It was a good tv show. And to answer your question (I can read minds), I did write this while watching the olympics. The writing bug must have bitten me because I have started two other fanfictions besides this one. Please check them out while you are online! Thank you for the support everyone. You all are amazing.**


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